By Colleen Cheechalk | Program Director
Good afternoon friends,
I apologize for the delay in updating you with news from the field, we had some exciting and very important changes rapidly developing and I wanted to be able to share it with you all, so here it goes...
Years ago I attended a training that taught us the incredible ways that horses could help heal women who were undergoing treatment for Breast Cancer. I am sure you aware of the staggering statistics that haunt the minds of so many women (and men too). My mother is a 15 year breast cancer survivor, my grandmother was a survivor. My dear friends have been devastated by it, and I am sure you know someone who has been too. It may even be you.
I couldn't wait to bring this back to the farm. It changed me inside and out. And along with the Veterans program, it became my primary focus for the community. However, as we piloted the program we started seeing the ways this beautiful, spiritual, personal, healing experience could benefit women who were struggling in other ways, such as those rebuilding their lives after domestic abuse, those who have been sexually assaulted, women with terminal illnesses, mom's raising special needs children, young girls who have experience violence and trauma, and those who are in recovery from addictions.
In the past two years I have watched some incredible women, young and older, become stronger. Emotionally and physically. They have found peace, they have found power. They have found a place that is theirs...and it is inside the souls and atop the strong backs of the majestic horse.
So...what's the great news, you ask? It is great, and it is all because of you...
Borrowed Freedom has filed the paperwork required to create HOPE With Horses for women at Epona Farm Sanctuary. The program will be a stand alone project with its own committee, fundraising, and outreach. With your support during this initial fundraising drive, I was able to mail out the letters and information packages last week to our local cancer centers, rehabilitation programs, and shelters. We will be able to offer a full 12 week group session of HOPE With Horses for 10 women and girls. And I am personally going to deliver private sessions for 6 women or girls who need the extra support those sessions bring.
I cannot begin to tell you how this feels. Knowing that real change will come about...this summer...no more waiting or praying that it can happen.
I welcome you to visit the new website for the program at www.hopewithhorses.org. In the days to come we will be adding a newsletter as well, so please be sure to subscribe to keep up with the program in between the updates from our globalgiving campaign. You are invested in this, and we want you to see and celebrate the successes we see. You deserve it! And we are so grateful to be able to share it with you!
If you are interested in becoming involved with HOPE With Horses, either as a volunteer, client, committee member, or just as a friend of the program, please get in touch with us. When we stand together, we make a bigger impact, and we welcome your involvement!
On behalf of the Borrowed Freedom program, and the many clients you help us serve, THANK YOU!
Warmly,
Colleen Cheechalk
Program Director - Borrowed Freedom EAAT, Inc.
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can recieve an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
